Automatic train-stopping mechanism.



c. JOLY.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I3. 1914. 1,22%,932. Patented May 8, 1917.

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Patnted May 8, 1917.

2 SHEETS-$HEET 2 C. JOLY. AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 19M.

u, 1.0.. Pnaloulnu. msnmmmv. n cy WE :f \:I mECEFEEZCCE CEEKECEEMi 1 E Mar TASI AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOEPING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented May 8, 1917.

Application filed July 13, 1914. Seriahlv'o. 859,812.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEZAIRE J mm, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Salem, in the county of Essex and. State of Massachusetts, have invented certain; new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stopping Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The essence of the present'invention lies in the provision of tripping mechanism disposed adjacent the road-bed of a railway and adapted to cooperate with a relief valve or train control device carried by the rolling stock, by means of which pressure in the train pipe is relieved for automatically, ap plying the brakes, such release being accomplished in a gradual manner to insure against sudden stoppage of the train and consequent likelihood of injury to the train mechanism or its passengers. To this end I provide a series of tripping members arranged at suitable intervals from each other and manually operable to be positioned in the path of a relief valve on a train,- said valve being progressively opened to its fullest extent by contact with the spaced tripping me'mbers whereby to cause the application of the brakes slowly and automatically in the event the engineer of the train fails to see or attempts to pass a stop signal simultaneously set upon operation of the tripping members aforesaid.

v A further object in view. is the provision of tension means for the tripping members of my device when in their normal position through the instrumentality of which said tripping members will automatically assume an operative position for cooperation with the train valve should breakage occur in the operating connection for said tripping members. i

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and claimed. Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my stopping mechanism showing more particularly the cooperation with the relief valve on the rolling stock with the tripping members of my device. v

Fig.- 2- a op plan View.

Fig. 3; is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale of one of the tripping members.

Figv l is a vertical sectional view on the line lof; Fig.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken about on the line 5 5. of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 isia side elevation of a semaphore or'signal member cooperating with the tripping mechanism and Fig. 7, is a plan view of a slightly modified form of the device.

Refierring to. the drantingsI the numeral 1 designates. a relief: valve which is connected to the train'piipe of a train and by means of} which valve pressure inthe train pipe may be relieved for the application of the air brakes. This. valve is so arranged as to cooperate'with certain tripping mechanism disposed adjacent the track and designed to operate said valve by contact therewith to open the valve and thereby relieve the train pipe pressure in themanner hereinbefore suggested.

The tripping mechanism comprises a plurality of tripping members 3. arranged upon suitable rests or plates 4: which may be connected to the railway ties or otherwise secured in proper position as most clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. These tripping membersare pivotallysecured to the-plates): indicated at 5 so as to swing in a horizontal plane. when actuated by the connecting rod 6 which is connected to all of said members at one end of the latter so as to operate the same simultaneously. These tripping members are each formed with a contact arm 3" extending vertically and adapted to lie in the path taken by the relief valve 1 when said arms are swung into an operative position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 by means of a lever connected to the operating rod 6 through a link 8. This lever 7 may be located in theusual tower or at a suitable point for operation of the train stopping mechanism comprehended by this invention. A semaphore or signal 9.: supported on the post 10 is inter posed between the lever 7 and the tripping members, said semaphore being operatively connected to said lever through the bell crank levers ll, 12 and; the connecting rods .13, la and 15 It will thus be obvious that in the use f the device when the le er 7 operated through the connecting rods herelnbefore mentloned the trlpplng members and the semaphore or signal wlll be simultaneously operated so as to assume positions observed by the engineer of the tram. As'

shown most clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings the contact arms 3' are of varying heights, increasing in height in the direction of movement of the train, the upper extremities of said arms being preferably beveled, so that should the engineer attempt to pass the stop signal, the valve 1 will suecessively contact with the contact arms and progressively open said valve until it is opened its full extent. In this manner the valve is opened gradually and the train brought to a gradual rather than to a sudden stop which would be likely to cause in ury to the brake mechanisms of the train or to the passengers of the same.

Arranged to cooperate with each of the tripping members 3 is an expansion spring 16 disposed upon a guide rod 17 connected in any desired manner to the pivotal connection of the operating rod with each tripping member. The purpose of these springs is to place the tripping mechanism under tension when the tripping members are swung into their normal position out of cooperative relation with the valve 1, and as most clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Thus when the lever 7 is unlocked or released the tendency of these springs 16 15 to expand and to move the tripping members into the operative position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Hence if a break occurs in the rod 6 or at any point intermediate the tripping members and the lever 7 which holds said tripping members in the inoperative position, the spring will cause said members to assume their operative relation to the valve 1 so as to stop the train in the manner hereinbefore described, irrespective of the position of the semaphore. I also contemplate the utilization of a fusible connection 17 in the rod 13 so that when the mechanism of this invention is located upon a bridge, for instance, and said bridge is burned, the tripping mechanism will be released and under actuation of the springs the tripping members will be brought into a position for automatically stopping the approaching train.

In Fig. 7 is shown a slightly modified form of the invention in which the numeral 3 designates a plurality or a series of tripping members having the contact arms 3 bent upwardly therefrom and said tripping members are pivotally disposed in a manner for swinging in a horizontal plane as de scribed with reference to the preferred form. The operating rod 6 leading from an operating lever in one direction is connected at one extremity with a bell crank 6 which is also connected by a link 6 to the first tripping member. The succeeding members are connected by similar links 6 and 6 so as to simultaneously operate the tripping members upon actuation of the operating rod 6*. In this modified form the springs are preferably not utilized.

It will be obvious that the invention hereinbefore described is extremely simple in its arrangement and construction and capable of accomplishing the desired result of automatically stopping a train in a very effective manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a train stopping mechanism of the class described the combination of a tripping member arranged adjacent to the road bed, a supporting base on which said tripping member is horizontally disposed, an operating rod connected to one end of said tripping member for shifting the same in a horizoutal plane on the base, a valve operatin arm carried by said tripping member and movable to and from an operative position by the operating .rod, a spring mounted upon said base and arranged to exert pressure against the end of said tripping member opposite the end carrying the valve operating arm, said spring being under tension when the tripping member is in inoperative position and adapted to facilitate the shifting of the tripping member by the operating means upon actuation of the latter.

2. In a train stopping mechanism of the class described, the combination of a tripping member arranged adjacent to the road bed, an operating rod connected to the tripping member for actuation of the same to render it operative and inoperative, a spring cooperating with the tripping member and adapted to be compressed upon actuation of the operating rod for moving the tripping member into inoperative position, said spring being arranged to throw said tripping member into operative position upon disablement of the operating rod aforesaid, and guide means for said spring comprising a rod around which the spring is arranged for maintaining the same in proper position when under compression.

3. In automatic train stopping mechanism of the class described, the combination of a tripping member arranged adjacent to the track and adapted to cooperate with a train valve, said tripping member being pivoted intermediate its length for movement in a horizontal plane, a valve contact arm bent upwardly from. one end of said tripping member, an operating rod connect ed to the opposite end of said tripping memher for shifting the same into operative and inoperative positions, and spring means 00- operating with the tripping member and In testimony whereof I aflix my signature adapted to be placed under tension upon in presence of two Witnesses.

shifting of the tripping member by the ophis erating rod upon movement of said tripping CEZAIRE X JOLY.

" member into inoperative position whereby mark to constitute auxiliary actuating means for vvit g; said tripping member upon dlsablement of J J C R, the operating means aforesald. A. PRESTON CHASE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

